Warranty / Certifications

Questions & Answers

If on City water, does this need an expansion tank? If so, which one is recommended please.

If on City water, does this need an expansion tank? If so, which one is recommended please.

Asked by: LEDFan

With city water you most probably have some type of back flow preventer that will not allow water flow back into the city piping. Thermal expansion from heating cold water in your heater could cause excess pressure to develop. So an expansion tank should be used to absorb this pressure. I was also on city water (with a backflow preventer), so I added a 2.1 gal expansion tank. It has a pressure rating of 150psi and was Tee'd into the cold water supply at the water heater. My water pressure runs at 60 psi, so I adjusted the &quot;air side&quot; of the expansion tank to 60 psi prior to installation. Everything is working as expected after 16 months. More details of all this are found on p6 of the installation instructions.

Answered by: JCP

Date published: 2018-12-26

How thick is the insulation on this series of water heaters?

How thick is the insulation on this series of water heaters?

Asked by: bigfinley

Go here and you'll see Matt Risinger cut one open and they measured it at 3&quot; from outside jacket to inside jacket.:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkpWbRHsVHg

Need the upper heating element for this water heater. Rheem says item SP1053-008 but am unable to find it and they have it backordered for the last 3 weeks. Does anyone know which element at home depot will work with this?

Asked by: Homeowner

Hi,
So far my water heater is still running normal. I haven't replace any part. You are probably under waranty. I know that you say that they have it in backorder. My best suggestion for your problem, is to get a universal heater element that holds 4500 watt. Take the broken heater element to the store to match the thread size. Then ask Rheem for a reimbursement. Good luck.

Answered by: Israel

Date published: 2018-11-22

Short vs Tall.....Does it matter if you have a lot of room?

Short vs Tall.....Does it matter if you have a lot of room?

Asked by: Joe

The short tank has a larger diameter to make up for the lack of height. If your space is much larger than the heater, then it probably doesn't matter. But if you are restricted in the width of the space, then you may want the taller version. Also, the shorter tank will be a bit more difficult to strap to the wall (you will end up putting one of the straps over the top heating element).

Customer Reviews

Rated 5 out of
5 by
DJH from
Even though this type electric water heater is twice the price of a galvanized steel electric wat...Even though this type electric water heater is twice the price of a galvanized steel electric water heater, it provides us with plenty of HOT water, despite it being a low profile 50 gallon unit. The recovery time is super quick, its insulated tank keeping the water piping hot, and with the added feature of not having the worry that a standard steel tank unit will rust out at the bottom after a few years, it's worth every penny! Having Rheem quality makes this non-metallic water heater one of the best investments I have made for my family and home.

Date published: 2018-12-18

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bill from
I think it will be an excellent replacement from my...I think it will be an excellent replacement from my normal metal tank heater.I am a licensed plumber in N.Y. .I installed this heater in my other home in florida and the water quality is terrible there causing terrible corrosion in tank and on connected water pipe!!!!!

Date published: 2018-09-26

Rated 5 out of
5 by
homeimprovement from
This heater seems to be well made. Make sure to be careful about twisting the fittings (see cauti...This heater seems to be well made. Make sure to be careful about twisting the fittings (see caution statement in the instructions). Note, that it has a diameter that is similar to an 80gal tank - the heater straps for a 50gal tank will be too short.

Date published: 2018-09-18

Rated 4 out of
5 by
Gary from
Replaced an 18 year old GE 40 gal with the...Replaced an 18 year old GE 40 gal with the Rheem 50 gal. Never ran out of hot water with the GE. Now if I take a long hot shower I always run out. Raised the temperature in the Rheem and put on a new shower head . Maybe this will help. We'll see.

Date published: 2018-08-14

Rated 5 out of
5 by
jBear from
Just installed it. So far so good. It installs just...Just installed it. So far so good. It installs just like any other electric water heater (one electrical connection and 3 plumbing connections). If this works as advertised, we can forget about leaks from a rusting tank. We’ve been using it for about 3 weeks and get plenty of hot water for two.

Date published: 2018-06-05

Rated 5 out of
5 by
Shopper from
It works great!...It works great!

Date published: 2018-05-22

Rated 5 out of
5 by
John from
Plenty of hot water. Seems efficient ...Plenty of hot water. Seems efficient

Date published: 2018-05-22

Rated 2 out of
5 by
LKK49004 from
Hot Water High ElectricI had this water heater installed in May 2017 after the previous 2 gas water heaters failed before they could make it to their warranty. The HVAC company I called sold me on this water heater - 10 year warranty on the tank, super insulated, high efficiency, the best on the market. I just about fell out of my chair when I got the electric bill a month after the install. I was anticipating some increase in the electricity but did not anticipate my electric consumption to DOUBLE! I was hoping the first month was a fluke (40 gallons of cold water to heat upon installation). But no, here it is a year later and month after month my electric bill is DOUBLE what it was before installing this water heater. There have been no changes to my household other than this water heater to cause the increase in my electric. Yes, I have hot water, but if I had the money to rip this thing out and start all over again, I would in a heartbeat.

The Westinghouse Residential Electric Water Heater combines highThe Westinghouse Residential Electric Water Heater combines high quality stainless steel construction and energy efficient operation providing long draws of hot water without consuming large amounts of energy. This water heater requires a 240-Volt electrical connection for installation. Its cleverly designed water connection directs cold water to the heating element ... More +Product DetailsClose

The Westinghouse Residential Electric Water Heater combines highThe Westinghouse Residential Electric Water Heater combines high quality stainless steel construction and energy efficient operation providing long draws of hot water without consuming large amounts of energy. This water heater requires a 240-Volt electrical connection for installation. Its cleverly designed water connection directs cold water to the heating element ... More +Product DetailsClose

The Westinghouse Residential Electric Water Heater combines highThe Westinghouse Residential Electric Water Heater combines high quality stainless steel construction and energy efficient operation providing long draws of hot water without consuming large amounts of energy. This water heater requires a 240-Volt electrical connection for installation. Its cleverly designed water connection directs cold water to the heating element ... More +Product DetailsClose